We Know Better
by fantasylands
Summary: Once upon a time, long ago, Anna and Elsa had been best friends. They would gallivant throughout the castle, climbing, fighting, playing, tripping, skipping, dreaming. They were always told that there are certain things a princess should and shouldn't do, but they knew better.
1. You're a Princess, Just Like Me

A/N: Based upon the deleted song, We Know Better, which discusses Anna and Elsa's childhood friendship.

**Chapter 1: You're a Princess, Just Like Me  
**

The sun scorched high in the sky as citizens of Arendelle bustled about in the city below. Colorful ribbons flapped in the breeze, catching the light and glinting cheerfully down at passersby. It was an unusually warm June day, a day where most would have stayed inside with glasses of lemonade. But today was important; today was a special day. Today, a new princess was born.

The news had broken that morning: at dawn, Queen Freya had given birth to another baby girl. The kingdom already adored little Princess Elsa, the King and Queen's firstborn daughter, now a big sister. A celebratory gathering was to take place in the castle courtyard that afternoon to welcome Arendelle's newest joy, Princess Anna. Maypoles had popped up all throughout the town, and every inch of the place had been festooned with bouquets of pink and blue flowers with fat green leaves. Merchants sold small flags that matched the banners pinned onto every lamp post, depicting the Spring Crocus of Arendelle. Along some of the busier streets, ice harvesters had set up small booths, doing great business selling their ice to citizens feeling the heat of the overly warm day. One in particular was attracting a lot of attention due to the presence of a charming miniature ice harvester and a baby reindeer. Passing townspeople couldn't help but stop and coo at them.

Inside the palace, all was surprisingly quiet; a distant world from the colorful rush of activity outside. The only noise was a faint crying, a baby's cry, from the Queen's bedchamber. In her own chamber, Princess Elsa lay upon her bed, arms outstretched to either side. She gazed up at the ceiling, emotionless. Ever since she first heard she would be getting a little brother or sister, she hadn't known what to feel. As long as she could remember, it had been just she and her parents. Would life be more fun with a sister around? Would Elsa be ignored in favor of her sister? Would she like the new baby? Her face screwed up a little, and she could feel frost forming on her fingertips. What if her sister didn't like her? The cries grew louder.

Elsa sat up and swung her legs down the side of her bed, wiping the melting frost on her mauve bedcovers. Her mother had a sister, Josefina, and she spoke of her often, with fondness. Elsa had always been regaled with stories of the mischief that the two of them had gotten up to when they were young. The Queen would always smile and mention that Josefina had been her best friend.

Elsa had never met her aunt. Before Elsa was born, Aunt Josefina had married a prince from a faraway land, and was now queen. The sisters maintained their relationship through letters and other corrospondences, and getting a message or a present from Aunt Josefina was always an enchanting experience. She was expecting, just like Elsa's mother, and her most recent letter informed them that her baby was due very soon. There had been a large gap in letters for some time due to Josefina becoming very sick during her pregnancy, but she had made a miraculous recovery and was doing well.

Mother's sister had been her best friend. Considering this, Elsa decided she liked having a sister. At that moment, Gerda, the head serving maid, appeared in the open doorway and lightly knocked.

"Elsa?" she beckoned, a smile appearing on her soft face. "Are you ready, dear?"

Elsa replied with a nod and hopped off her bed, padding across the worn wood floor.

Gerda took the four year old by the hand. "Then come, child." And she began to lead her down the passageway, following the echoes of the wailing noises.

As they finally came to the source of the din, the noise was nearly deafening. Clapping her hands over her ears, Elsa gave Gerda a confused, almost disgusted look.

"Go on, then, love" Gerda half-yelled, waving a hand at Elsa, gesturing for her to enter.

Elsa took a deep breath and opened the door, the screaming blasting into her face. She entered and saw her mother, laying in her bed, looking more tired than Elsa had ever seen her. But she had a smile playing upon her exhausted face, framed by strands of wet dark brown hair clinging to her face. Her father was kneeling next to the bed, holding her mother's hand. Their expressions changed to excitement when they saw Elsa. King Nikolai rose from his spot next to the queen and put a hand on Elsa's back, escorting her to a blushing pink bassinet adjacent to the bed. Words came out of his mouth, but they were drowned out by the racket echoing out of the bassinet.

Elsa wore a look of uncertainty on her face. The frost was back on her fingertips, ready to intensify into icy spikes at any moment. Her father positioned her next to the bassinet, and she peered down into it. A squirming, red-faced, squishy thing swaddled in a fluffy white embroidered blanket flailed about beneath her gaze. Its face was as pink as the rosemaling on the blanket. Elsa was sure she would go deaf from the screaming, but as the squishy face caught sight of her own face, the wailing ceased. Both of their eyes widened, and Elsa saw that the baby's eyes were as blue as her own. Atop her head was a messy, fuzzy mop of hair, nearly the same red-brown as her father's.

"Elsa," her father began, "Meet your sister. Anna."

Anna giggled and drool gurgled out of the corner of her mouth.

Elsa saw a smile form on little Anna's face, and she couldn't help but notice that the smile bore a resemblance to the one forming on her own face. Elsa held out a finger to Anna, and Anna curled her own tiny fingers around it. The king once again took his place beside his wife, and they shared a proud look.

Her mother called, "Go ahead, Elsa. Say something to her. She loves you already."

"... Hello, little baby..." Elsa spoke to the newborn. "You're a princess, just like me..." She took a breath. "Bet you're thinking, maybe, it's a pretty cool thing to be. But soon, you'll see that everyone expects a lot from you. They say that there are things a princess should and shouldn't do..."

With her free hand, Elsa created a few snowflakes above Anna's little head. Anna let out another happy laugh.

Elsa lowered her voice. "But you and me... We know better."


	2. Princesses Don't

**Chapter 2: Princesses Don't**

"Hurry up, Elsa!" Anna shouted. She toddled down the hallway as fast as her short legs could carry her.

Elsa, far behind her younger sister, wondered how someone who was only two years old could move so fast.

"Elsa! Play! Play, Elsa!" the small green-clad blur yelled out from ahead of Elsa.

"Anna, wait up!" Elsa was nearly out of breath from the mad dash the two of them were making. She let out a giggle. "Slow down!"

Anna stopped in her tracks and began hopping excitedly and clapping her hands together. "Elsa! Elsa! Come on, come on!"

"I'm coming, Anna," Elsa managed to breathe out.

The fair-haired girl finally caught up to the bouncing bundle of energy that was her little sister. Anna's rust-colored pigtails flopped up and down as she jumped. Anna grabbed Elsa's hand and continued her feverish running, this time dragging Elsa alongside like a ragdoll. After a moment, they came to the longest hallway in the castle. Anna halted abruptly and Elsa was very nearly hurled across the room.

Anna's blue eyes were wide with excitement. "Elsa. Slide! Let's slide! Pleaaaaase?"

"Okay!" Elsa nodded in agreement.

Anna had her shoes off in two seconds flat. She pretended to paw the ground like a bull, and then she was off, rocketing down the hallway. Squealing with joy, she glided across the polished mahogany floors in her stockings, picking up speed as she went. Halfway down, she lost her balance and continued to slide, now on her bottom.

At last, she slowed to a stop, and beckoned for Elsa, elatedly clapping her hands. "Your turn, your turn," she exclaimed.

Mimicking Anna's actions, Elsa pawed the ground, face screwed up in determination. She broke into a trot, then a full-on run, and slid down the slippery hallway in the same fashion as her sister. Twin platinum braids flying, Elsa giggled all the way down. A thin sheet of ice began to form on the floor, emanating from Elsa's feet.

The ice caused Elsa to go faster, and faster, until finally, she lost control of herself and went flying right into Anna, knocking the little girl over. The two girls lay in a laughing heap, Anna on top of Elsa.

"I never thought of using ice to slide before!" Elsa remarked.

"It's funner!" Anna replied.

"More fun, Anna."

"More fun," Anna repeated. "_My_ turn, _my_ turn!"

Anna hoisted herself off of her older sister and tore onto the ice that had formed. She slid and circled and jumped and hooted and hollered with joy. Elsa flashed a smile, then joined her sister out on the makeshift ice rink. They clasped hands and had a grand time twirling and dancing around each other, like ice ballerinas.

Rounding a corner, the two girls slammed into a rather substantial person. They reeled from the sudden contact, and as they stumbled to their feet, they saw Hilda, their nanny, in a heap on the floor, looking quite exasperated.

Hilda, red-faced and heaving, made quite a show of getting up. She swayed back and forth with effort and struggled to keep her skirt covering her knees.

"Girls!" She roared, at last on her feet. "What have I told you? Princesses do NOT slide across the floors in their stockings!"

She began to brush off her clothes and straighten her bunad. "Princess Elsa," she continued. "It is time for your lessons. I have been searching high and low for you, young lady. Now come."

Elsa looked sadly at Anna, then turned her gaze up to Hilda, and obediently replied, "Yes, Nanny."

Hilda took hold of Elsa's hand, and turned to go. Stopping for a moment, she looked round and glanced back at the other sister. "Princess Anna, please go play in your room. There's a good girl."

As Elsa was dragged away, she peeked over her shoulder and gave Anna a disappointed look. Anna, looking as though she were about to cry, waved pitifully back at her.

* * *

Anna tried to keep the pitter patter of her little feet as quiet as possible. She tiptoed across the ornate runner up to the library doors. She peeked an eye through the keyhole and could just make out her sister, sitting at the desk, quill in hand, looking immensely bored. Her tutor, Lord Holstad, was droning on about something Anna didn't understand. Diplo-something. Elsa was having trouble keeping her eyes open. Her head would droop a little, then snap back up.

Elsa knew she should probably pay attention. Her parents had always told her that one day, she would be queen, and a queen had to be diplomatic. Elsa still wasn't exactly sure what 'diplomatic' meant, but Lord Holstad said it a lot, so it must be important. She attempted to take notes, scratching out words on the parchment in front of her. D-i-p-p-l-o-w-m-a-s-y. That seemed right. The five-year old was quite proud of her handwriting. It was always neat and tidy, just the way she liked everything to be.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the one of the double doors crack open, just a bit. A familiar face appeared in the opening, looking right at her. Lord Holstad didn't notice. He was far too absorbed in discussing the proper way to sanction a trade agreement with a country located across the sea. He would pause every minute or so to take a contented sip of his tea, and then he would continue, as dull as ever. Sometimes he would grab the teaspoon and wave it about as he talked, splattering small drops of tea on things. He paced back and forth through the library, and paused before the doorway, back facing Anna.

"As an example, I will use our recent agreement with the Dukedom of Weselton-"

Behind him, Anna silently made a silly 'talking' face and made little mouths with her hands, opening and shutting, imitating the Lord's flamboyant way of verbalizing. Elsa tittered, and covered her mouth with her hands, trying to muffle the noise.

"Princess Elsa!" Lord Holstad snapped. "Is something funny?"

He turned to look at the doorway behind him, but Anna's face had already disappeared.

Elsa put on her best polite face. "No, Lord Holstad," she replied.

This seemed to sate the man. "Very well then," he went on. "As I was saying, the first known instance of trade with an island nation was-"

Anna was back. This time, she pretended to be asleep, hands folded together under the side of her face. She was snoring silently.

Elsa tried to fight back more giggles, but they tumbled out of her mouth anyway. She gasped as Lord Holstad's face reddened. He looked flustered.

"Elsa," he stammered. "I ask again: is something funny?"

And Elsa once again replied, "No, Lord Holstad."

He gave an exasperated sigh and tucked back into his speech. He moved closer to the doorway, blocking the small opening. Elsa could see Anna appear again, this time at his feet. Her little hands reached out to grab the little tassels on his shoes, and she tied them together. He took a step forward, and stumbled, nearly falling flat on his face.

He looked down at his shoes and thundered, "WHO DID THIS?"

Whipping his head around, he finally caught sight of Anna in her hiding place.

"Princess Anna! What is the meaning of this?" He demanded. He set down his tea on a nearby accent table.

"You should not be here, Princess Anna. You know better than this! Princesses don't- AH!" He exclaimed, as he fell to the ground, shoes entangled.

Elsa and Anna's laughter was uncontrollable now. Elsa collapsed out of her chair and rolled on the ground, clutching her sides. A blast of ice sailed out of her fingertips, towards the teacup on the table. Lord Holstad eventually was able to untie his shoes and clamor to his feet.

"Princess Elsa," he said, "Since you are unable to pay attention to this very important lesson, I shall have to end it now." When he saw Elsa smile at this, he added, "BUT, tomorrow we shall go over this lesson in addition to tomorrow's lesson on geography."

At this, Elsa bounded out the door, reunited with her sister. As they skipped away, they could hear Lord Holstad's voice behind them.

"And I will be telling the king and queen about this!" He bellowed after them.

The two princesses turned a corner and disappeared out of his sight. He let out a disjointed sigh and picked his teacup up off of the table, raising it to his lips.

All was quiet for a moment.

"_PRINCESS ELSA!_"


	3. I Will Protect You

**Chapter 3: I Will Protect You**

The next morning, Elsa was jolted awake earlier than usual by cries and screaming emanating from her sister's bed. Shrieks piercing her eardrums, she whipped back her deep blue covers and dashed across to the matching pink bed, dodging toys and dresses strewn all over her sister's side of the room. Anna, cocooned in a tangle of sheets and blankets in various shades of pink, was tossing and turning, but still very clearly asleep, and very clearly frightened.

A nightmare! Elsa panicked. She's having a nightmare!

"Anna! Anna, wake up!" she urged, gently shaking her sister by her shoulders.

At once, Anna shot bolt upright, flinging sheets in all directions. Her gaze snapped to meet Elsa's, and, all too quickly, the girl broke into inconsobable sobs. She reached out for her sister, burying her face in Elsa's nightgown, staining the front with tears. Elsa immediately assumed the role of motherly older sister and stroked Anna's messy red curls. They sat there for what seemed like an eternity, Elsa running her fingers through her sister's hair and just letting her cry herself out.

The sun had risen higher in the sky now, and birds out in the garden were beginning to greet the day with cheerful chirps. Anna's tears finally seemed to run dry. Elsa shifted her sister in her arms and looked down at the face that looked so similar to her own.

She gave a comforting, albeit tired smile. "You had a bad dream?"

Little Anna clutched the light blue fabric on her sister's arm. "Bad dream," she mimicked.

Elsa's hand returned to the back of Anna's head, patting it reassuringly. "Wanna tell me what happened?"

Anna appeared to consider it. She once again hid her face in the folds on the front of Elsa's nightdress. "Mhmmmfhhffmf," was all Elsa could make out.

She held in a chuckle for her sister's sake. "Anna, what? I can't hear you."

Anna removed her head from the tear-soaked ruffles and mumbled, "The rock people."

"Rock people?" Elsa wasn't sure what this meant. Often times, her sister would talk nonsense, leaving Elsa to ponder just what was going on in that little head of hers.

Anna nodded. "They are rocks in the daytime but when the sun goes to bed they turn into people."

"Rock people..." Elsa repeated, mulling over what this could mean. A thought struck her. "Oh! Trolls, Anna? Like the ones in our fairytale book?"

The little redheaded girl hid her face in her hands. "They are scary. They were all around me and I was alone and I couldn't find you or Mama or Papa."

"Oh, Anna," Elsa said, bringing her sister in for a hug. "It's okay. It wasn't real. You don't have to worry, because me and Papa and Mama will always protect you."

Anna seemed to take genuine comfort in her sister's words. Elsa continued.

"And anyways, you don't have to be scared of the trolls! They're nice in our book, remember?"

Elsa hopped off her sister's bed and picked through the clutter until she found their book of fairytales. She flopped back onto Anna's bed and held it open, pointing at the rich illustrations.

"Remember, Anna? They help the icecutter's son marry the pretty princess he loves. And there's the other story about the troll who advises the king on how to run the country, in exhange for a meadow full of flowers. Anna, you like these stories."

"They are still scary," Anna retorted, crossing her arms defiantly. It was clear by the look on her face that she was no longer scared, only pretending so she wouldn't be wrong. She hated being wrong.

Elsa shook her head and smiled. "Well, scary trolls or not, I'll always protect you, Anna."

* * *

At breakfast, Anna happily slurped her oatmeal, blissfully forgetful of the morning's earlier events. Elsa, as always, did her very best to be a prim and proper perfect princess. She sat with her back straight up in her chair, and took small, dainty bites of her salmon-and-egg smorbrod. Sunlight streamed in through the tall windows. Silver on the table caught the morning light and reflected it right into Elsa's eyes. A bit of egg fell off of her sandwich and into her lap.

All was quiet, except for the chorus of birds that were now outside the window, mixing with the slurp-slurp-slurping of Anna's oatmeal. Normally, breakfast was not a silent meal, but today, the king and queen ate soundlessly, uttering nary a word except perhaps to thank a servant who brought more coffee. At last, King Nikolai cleared his throat and directed his attention to the girls.

"My daughters," he began, "Yesterday, it was brought to my attention that your lessons, Elsa, went a little... Awry?"

Elsa suddenly looked extremely guilty, but politely kept her gaze on her father, wringing her hands beneath the table. Anna, however, looked quite pleased with her actions.

"Yes, Papa," Elsa managed to say. "It was my fault. I should have been paying attention to Lord Holstad. I know how important my studies are."

The king sighed and looked into his daughter's eyes. "We will talk about this after breakfast."

He lifted a fork and began to eat again, as though nothing had happened.

Down the long table, Elsa was a bundle of nerves. Her fingers tied themselves in knots underneath the golden brocade tablecloth. Icicles began to grow from the underside of the table, and Elsa could feel the familiar chill in the air around her that occured whenever her emotions grew strong. Anna's slurping seemed to grow louder, and Elsa wondered how she was always so nonchalant about being in trouble.

* * *

Elsa trudged down the long hall to the throne room as though she were in a funeral march. Anna skipped behind her, stopping to ask suits of armor how their day was going, and to smell every vase of fresh flowers they passed. Elsa left slightly frosty footprints on the hardwood as she moved. She hated being in trouble. She was probably every bit as mischievious as her younger sister, but when it came to facing the consequences, it made her want to run away and hide.

"Anna," she called, "Keep up. Remember that time you got lost?"

The younger girl raced ahead to be with her sister. When she saw the fear etched onto Elsa's features, she reached out and grabbed her hand. Elsa could feel her sister's warmth melting the frost on her fingertips, and it made her feel a hair better. A little of her tension released and she squeezed Anna's hand a little tighter.

"Elsa, why you do that and I can't?" Anna queried.

"Do what?"

"Ice magic."

"Oh. I don't know."

"I wish I could." Elsa could hear a twinge of jealousy in Anna's voice.

"No," she said, "You don't."

The familiar carved wooden doors of the throne room stood just ahead of them, tall and intimidating. Elsa raised a hand to knock, and hesitated. Anna lifted her own little hand to imitate her sister, and they both rapped their knuckles on the thick door.

"Come in." They heard the king's voice from inside.


End file.
